The negative experiences of intensive care unit (ICU) patients seriously affect their quality of life and survival outcomes. Thus, it is of great significance to evaluate the monitoring experience of ICU patients for the clinical improvement of their experiences and promote interventions.The objective of this study was to investigate patients' experiences of ICU and to understand the sources of patient experience and influencing factors.From November 2021 to September 2022, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 600 inpatients from four grade A-III hospitals in western China. Data were collected using the Chinese version of the Intensive Care Experience Questionnaire.585 valid questionnaires were collected, the response rate was 97.5%. ICU patients in western China scored below-the-average for their intensive care experience. Family monthly income, occupation types, medical payment method, type of ICU, ICU admission plan, ICU admission times, mechanical ventilation use, fertility status, analgesia, sedation, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores are important factors influencing ICU patients' intensive care experience.Medical staff need to pay attention to patient experience, improve the awareness of patient stressors and influencing factors, design nursing programs conducive to patient-positive experience, and promote interventions to further improve the long-term prognosis of patients. The results of this study can also be used as a set of nursing-sensitive indicators for evaluating nursing structure, process, and outcomes.Copyright © 2023 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.